


(un)steady

by Adi (Littlelionman15)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Leo Fitz (mentioned), Other, Tony Stark (mentioned) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 20:31:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11654190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlelionman15/pseuds/Adi
Summary: So, there is this three-chapter storyline I'm currently writing for my AoS fan-fiction, and this would be... part 2? Yeah, let's call it that.Fox Cooper, the son of Tony Stark, is on a suicide mission to save his father and his friend, Leo Fitz from a Hydra base facility. He runs into an brainwashed Grant Ward on his way, and that's where this chapter starts.





	(un)steady

**Author's Note:**

> So, there is this three-chapter storyline I'm currently writing for my AoS fan-fiction, and this would be... part 2? Yeah, let's call it that.   
> I wanted to post the whole story but as it contains a major character death (for which I'm definitely not ready to write and say goodbye), I've decided to just publish this part. I'll post the whole thing as a single story once I'm done writing it.

„Ward“ his name slips over my lips, „What are you doing here?!“  
He turns towards me in the very same moment, gazing at me with an empty, lifeless look in his dark eyes. There are no emotions on his face. „Ward, are you okay?“  
Then it strikes me: he has been brainwashed. Oh God. That must be it- it is Hydra we're facing off against, after all. „Grant, it's me“ I say, slowly and carefully approaching him, „It's Fox Cooper. Do you remember me?“  
He tilts his head, slightly, analyzing me. His eyes cold, skin pale and hair ashy. I catch onto a few bruises on his face... which means that he resisted them. He resisted Hydra. As I take a step forward, closer to him, Ward frowns his eyebrows and clenches his fists, whispering a single word:   
„Enemy.“ His voice is without emotion, without anything that implies he's still alive – without anything implying he's still the Grant Ward who trained me and helped me heal after Seattle.   
I can't fight him. He hasn't got control over his body right now, he's unaware of anything he does.   
I can't hurt him; I would never forgive myself.  
„Grant, look at me-„ I begin as he grabs my arms and smashes me into the nearby wall. When I find myself on the floor, a moment or two afterwards, I can feel the warm and dense fluid slowly sliding down my ear and neck. It's red and sticky on my fingers. _Blood_. Trying to stand up, my eyes catch the view of him standing near but not attacking – seems like something of Ward remained inside him after all: he'd never attack someone who can't even stand up. Leaning onto the wall, I try to reach him again. „You're stronger than this, Ward. I can help you get out of here.“  
„Enemy“ he repeats himself, „enemy of Hydra is enemy of mine.“  
My heart shatters into a billion pieces. _What have they done to him?!_  
I have to bite my tounge to prevent myself from screaming out loud as tears begin to fill out my eyes. Quickly, I swipe away the tears, bite the inner side of my cheek and approach him again. New plan: knock him out, save Tony and Fitz, come back for him, save myself.   
„I don't want to fight you, Grant“ I say, „but I will if I have to.“  
Not letting down his guard, he glances at me over the top of his bloodied fists. I take a deep breath, clench my fists and prepare to die.  
He swings his right fist, cutting open the skin beneath my eye.  I strike back; the metal end of my military boot hits his knee, making him kneel in front of me. “Come on, man! You’re the one who taught me this, you should kno-”  
Grant Ward doesn’t hold back; he punches my stomach, knocking out all of the air out of my lungs. I end up back at the wall again, grasping for air. I’m ripping my throat apart by coughing, while Ward manages to stand back up, seemingly unharmed. When he looks away, I use the opportunity and start running towards him with my fists clenched and ready to fight. He expected this; he blocks my punch and with minimum effort, he throws me onto the ground like a rag doll. I must’ve hit my head pretty badly – I barely manage to see the outline of his head underneath the bright light from the ceiling. Everything else is blurry, unrecognizable. As he leans down and reaches my throat with his ice-cold hands, Ward whispers words that carve into my memory forever:   
“Maybe you should have died in Seattle after all.”  
As his grasp tightens, everything disappears for a moment. There’s no blurry vision, no bright lights; just pain and the feeling of numbness.   
I won’t surrender. The top of my boot hits his crotch. I hear a painful scream and the pressure on my throat disappears.   
It’s been over a few moments later when I found myself doing the same thing he was doing to me; my hands, wrapped around his pale and cold skin. His eyes shine as he looks at me in pain the whole time until they shut.   
_He’s alive_ , I remind myself. _He’s alive and you’ve given him a chance so that Simmons and Fitz can help him_.   
I barely collect enough energy to stand up. Tears are strolling down my cheek, along with the blood from the cuts that Ward gave me. My suit is more cut and ripped open than it is complete. I’m barely alive; fighting for air, almost blind thanks to my concussion, and with at least one or two ribs broken.


End file.
